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THE MARQUIS: DEVIL'S REIGN: HELL'S COURTESAN
Recommended (7/10)
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Oni Press
Writer/Artist: Guy Davis
Letters: Vince Locke
Editor: James Lucas Jones
Price: $2.95 US/$4.50 CAN |
For anyone who enjoys Guy Davis's artwork, The Marquis will be
a treat. Though he is known for the detail and atmosphere that he brings to the
page on any book, those talents seem amplified when he is working on his own
creation. The dark, haunted streets of 17th century France are brought to life
in a realistic and yet haunting way, and the demonic forces that the Marquis
hunt are always frightening and vile. I must admit that the stories don't grab
my imagination the way the basic concept or the art does, but there's enough
there to keep me interested, and Davis deserves credit for attempting to fill
the void of comics in the horror genre.
There's a certain formula to The Marquis already developing, and that is a pattern of watching him hunt down demons. While it's certainly an important part of the concept, Davis draws out the hunt a little too much in this issue, and while this is good for new readers, for those who have already watched him hunt demons in Danse Macabre, perhaps a series of shorter
hunting sequences to establish the pattern instead of one overly long one would
have been better.
Mind you, Davis does have at least one twist to throw out in Hell's Courtesan,
that being a demonic being who is also hunting down escaped devils. It allows
for a clever reversal of expectations, when the hunter becomes the victim in an
alley, and it raises a few more questions about the intriguing cosmology of the
Marquis's universe. The ever-present religion of the setting, which has sinister
overtones given its stringent and often harsh mandates, contrasts nicely with
the evil that is really happening beneath the noses of polite society. In
addition, the prevalence of powdered wigs, costume finery and masquerade balls
in this time period makes a nice thematic tie-in with the idea that demons hide
amongst people, whether those demons are physically real or simply in their own
heads.
While The Marquis has some intriguing elements to it in the
writing, what always draws me in is the artwork. Davis's attention to detail on
the architecture is stunning. Whether it's a creepy catacomb, a filthy street,
an ornate cathedral or a snow-soaked city street, the feeling of the background
is always there. In addition, the gothic designs for the Marquis and the demons
are always enjoyable and unique. Davis's work looks intricate and beautiful, as
if it must have taken forever to create, and it has a sort of ugliness to it
that really works for a horror title as well.
It's hard to imagine a title better suited to Guy Davis's sensibilities than The Marquis. This doesn't necessarily make it my favorite of his works, but it
does always make it an enjoyable read, and a fantastic showcase for his
artwork.
This comic book was not part of this week's new releases.
Email Randy Lander comments about this review, or discuss it on the Fourth Rail message board. |
